News

Matt Goddard of Chiodos Talks G&L

G&L bassist Matt Goddard is an original member of American post-hardcore band Chiodos. His rock-solid, low-end chops have powered the Davison, Michigan based band through three studio albums and countless live dates around the world. G&L caught up with Matt, just before Chiodos heads out on the Vans Warped Tour Europe that will include stops in Germany, The United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland and The Czech Republic.

G&L: How long have you been playing G&L basses?

Matt: I've been playing G&L since the
summer of 2007.

G&L: That's awesome. How did you learn about them?

Matt: I had been familiar with G&L since taking
bass guitar lessons in high school. My instructor had an L series 2000, so I
became somewhat familiar with the brand at that time but didn't get the opportunity to play
one until later in my musical career.

G&L: Obviously you liked what you discovered, since you have been playing G&L for 6 years now. What is it that sets them apart for you?

Matt: To start with, I have to say that G&L basses are the most reliable basses I've
owned. But beyond that, because they are handmade, there's a certain uniqueness and
personality that each one of my G&L basses possesses. I just couldn't find that anywhere
else.

G&L: So you went through some other brands before settling on G&L?

Matt: Yes. I went
through a handful of basses from other brands, searching for the sound and reliability I was
looking for. But my search stopped here. From the start, I always wanted a bass that I could just plug in and play, without having to rely on
a bunch of pedals or other effects. Every bass player has their idea of the "holy
grail" of tone, and I happen to be extremely neurotic about it, so when I was trying other basses out, I was never content. Something was always missing until I discovered G&L. Long live G&L!

G&L: And, it looks like your G&L basses are about to be pretty busy.

Matt: Yes. Chiodos is recording a new album as we speak and we'll be on the Vans Warped Tour Europe in
November, followed by U.S. dates in Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida in December. Be on the lookout
for a new album and check out the dates we'll be playing for the
remainder of 2013. And get ready for 2014! It's going to be a great year for
Chiodos

About the G&L ASAT® Semi-Hollow: When Leo Fender launched the G&L L-2000™ bass in 1980, it was clear he was ready to make history all over again. Never before had such a wide range of tones come from a single bass, and throughout its evolution the iconic L-2000 has continued to win the hearts of bassists of every style and musical taste. Once the ASAT guitar came around in '86, it didn't take long for Leo to apply this body shape to a bass. The ASAT Bass is essentially an L-2000 packed into an ASAT body shape, with a narrower 1-1/2" nut width to help balance the instrument. The result is one the coolest looking basses ever to come from Leo Fender, with all the power and flexibility of an L-2000. Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith has been a fan of ASAT Basses since the '90s and now has his own ASAT Bass Tom Hamilton signature model.

The foundation of the ASAT Bass is a pair of G&L Magnetic Field Design™ humbuckers backed by the flexible Tri-Tone™ control system, providing the sort of versatility that'll let you find your tone no matter what kind of bass line you're laying down. The Tri-Tone system features a trio of mini toggles for pickup selection, series/parallel signal routing and active/passive operation, as well as a trio of knobs for volume, treble and bass. With all that under the hood, Leo gave the ASAT Bass the kind of chops that'll fit in any situation, from classic R&B to power-packed rock to poppin' funk. What's more, the ASAT Bass features an innovative Leo Fender-designed Saddle-Lock™ bridge to transfer string energy right into the body end-grain for an incredibly resonant instrument. On the other end is a comfortable, C-shaped neck checking in with a modern 12" radius and 21 Plek-processed medium-jumbo nickel frets ready to deliver silky playability.

The ASAT Bass Semi-Hollow takes all this goodness and adds another twist: a semi-hollow Swamp Ash body. The MFD humbuckers have always been known for their detailed articulation, and the semi-hollow body adds even more air around notes while softening a little of the attack transient.

Made in Leo Fender's historic G&L facility on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California, the ASAT Bass Semi-Hollow is available with a wide range of custom options including body and neck woods, body and neck finishes, and neck profiles.